One of the things the first Christians did was devote themselves to prayer (Acts 2:42). As Christians we realize that we should pray. At least it is something which is expected of us. Yet, many of us are uncomfortable praying. Why is this so? It is probable that much of our discomfort stems from two areas: 1) We have a distorted view of God, and 2) we have a distorted view of prayer and how to pray.
What Prayer Is Not
Let’s take the second point first: We have a distorted view of prayer.
1) Prayer, in the sense the New Testament describes it, is not a ritual. Prayer does not consist of the repetition of certain set phrases. That is the concept of paganism. For example, some religions require people to recite the same formula several time per day. Another religion uses prayer wheels. Every spin of the wheel sends another prayer on the person’s behalf. However, Jesus said not to do this sort of thing. (See Matthew 6:7.) He called it “vain repetition” (KJV, ASV). Other translations say “empty phrases” (ESV) or “meaningless words” (ISV).
2) Another thing prayer is not is a work of merit. Prayer is not something which will earn us anything, or which will wipe out your sins. It is not penance. Saying a bunch of ‘Hail Marys’ and ‘Pater Nosters’ isn’t going to counterbalance any wrongdoing we’ve committed.
What Prayer Is
If prayer is neither a ritual nor a work of merit, then what is it? In its most basic sense, prayer is communication. It is a conversation between a child and his heavenly Father.
This brings up the first possibility suggested why we are uncomfortable praying: We often have a distorted view of God. Some people have the idea that God is like a harmless, semi-senile old gentleman with a long, white beard. He takes a vague interest in humanity but is really unaware of what’s going on. When He does remember us, He basically smiles and pats us on the head and lets us get on with our lives. Why would we pray to someone who really isn’t involved in our lives and either doesn’t have the power to, or won’t, grant our requests?
Other people have a radically different view of God. They consider Him to be an ogre in the sky who is gleefully waiting for us to make a mistake up so He can punish us. He’s someone to be avoided at all costs. We certainly wouldn’t want to confess our faults to someone who’s looking for an excuse to punish us!
Still other people have trouble with the concept of God as a Father. The word ‘father’ has a bad connotation because their earthly father was selfish and abusive. Confiding our hopes and dreams to someone like that would simply open us up to more disappointment and betrayal.
The fact is that God is neither indulgent, arbitrary or cruel and He is certainly not abusive. Instead, the characteristic we will emphasize is God’s incredible love. His love is so great that He took the penalty for our wrongdoing on Himself. His love for us is so great that He will not force His own will on us. He shows us what is right and gives us the free choice whether to do it or not.
Now when you really love someone, don’t you want to communicate with him or her? When you’re in love don’t you want to hear the voice of the one you love? Just look at the parents of a newborn. Aren’t they always talking to the baby even though the baby can’t understand or respond with words? Why do you think parents make such a huge deal of a baby’s first words? Why are parents so eager to hear from their children after they leave home?
God is the same way. He loves us and wants to hear from us. We call this communication from us to God, prayer.
To Whom We Pray
This brings up something which really shouldn’t need to be stated. However, listening to people pray discloses that they are often confused about who they are talking to. They address their prayer to God but then they start saying things in the third person. They act as if they were talking about God to someone else.
Consider the following illustration: Suppose you were talking to your wife about the grocery list. “Honey, the next time my wife goes to the store could she bring back a jar of jam?” Since you are already speaking to your wife, why do you act as if you are talking about someone else? Not only is it confusing – as if there are two people going to the store – your wife would probably find it rather insulting if you made a habit of talking to her like that.
Let’s be very clear. When we pray, we’re talking to God, our heavenly Father. Let’s not speak to Him as if He were out of the room.
Through Whom We Pray – Our Mediator
But how can we talk to God at all? The Bible tells us that He is holy, absolutely good and righteous. There is no evil or even a hint of darkness in Him. Unfortunately, we are sinful. There is no way we measure up to the standard of perfection God requires. Since God cannot tolerate sin and evil, how can we possibly approach Him, let alone talk to Him? On our own, we can’t.
This is not a lesson about how God reconciles us to Himself. However, very briefly, He does it through Jesus Christ. Through Jesus, God is doing at least two things: 1) He is transforming us so that we have a new nature, a new character which is like Himself. 2) He treats us as if Christ’s righteousness and sinlessness belonged to us. According to Galatians 3:27 when we are baptized, we clothe ourselves with Christ. One of the things this means is that when God looks at us, He sees the righteousness of Jesus. Speaking of Jesus, Paul writes, “He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:17-18 NIV)
Another way to put it is that Jesus is our go-between or the mediator between us and God. This is why we pray in Jesus’ name. If we are in Christ, that is if we are Christians, Jesus endorses whatever it is that we want to bring before God. Because God sees Jesus when He looks at us, Paul writes, “In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” (Ephesians 3:12 NIV)
It seems that many people try to speak to God without going through the mediator. Either they don’t invoke anyone’s name when they pray, or they’ll end their pray by saying, “In your name.” Since they are talking to God, presumably they are invoking God’s name. However, it is Jesus who is our mediator. It is only because of Him and through Him that we can approach God. We must remember to pray in Jesus’ name.
Our Interpreter
There are times when we don’t know what to say. There are times when we want to say something but don’t know how to say it. There are times when we can’t put our feelings into words. There are even times when we don’t even know what we’re feeling, but still need someone to listen and hear us out.
We can still pray even though we don’t know what to say or how to say it. One of the blessing of being in Christ is that God gives us His Spirit to act as our interpreter. The Spirit intercedes for us even when we can’t put a coherent thought together. Paul writes, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.” (Romans 8:26-27 NIV)
When And Where To Pray
When and where should we pray? Many religions have set times during the day when people are supposed to stop everything and pray. One of the purposes for church bells was to remind people to pray at various times during the day.
Is there a required or recommended time and place for Christians to pray? Paul writes to the Thessalonians, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV)
How can we do this? How can we possibly pray continually? After all, we have jobs to go to and lives to live. Paul gives us the clue about how this is possible in Ephesians 6:18, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests…” (NIV) It is through the Spirit we can pray continually. We can communicate with God even when we don’t speak out loud or think words in our minds. Have you ever noticed that when you’re with someone you love that you can be in tune with them even when you aren’t talking or even doing anything together? You are in some kind of fellowship or communion just by being around each other. This is the kind of thing Paul is talking about. We are conscious of God’s presence; we commune with Him; we can speak to Him and are open to hear Him at all times.
A Template For Prayer
With that as a background, what should our prayers consist of? Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray. In reply, Jesus gave them an outline or a template which we can use in our prayers.
“This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:9-13 NIV)
Before discussing a few of the details, two comments: 1) We call what Jesus said “The Lord’s Prayer” but it really isn’t. The real ‘Lord’s Prayer’ is in John chapter 17. 2) We can recite what Jesus said, word for word, and miss the whole point. For example, some Christians end all of their church assemblies or gatherings by reciting these words. It is possible that they do this because they think Jesus commanded His disciples to say the words. But Jesus never intended us to repeat the words like some sort of formula. He intended us to use what He said as an example or model for our own prayers.
How can we do this? We can break the prayer down into six, somewhat arbitrary sections. As we do we should think of ways we can make this prayer personal.
1) Adoration
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
Think about a specific characteristic or quality of the Father and how it has impacted you personally. Then thank God for what He has done. Then, think of a specific way to lift up or honor God’s name and do so in your prayer.
2) Submission
a) your kingdom come,
Think of some area in your life which is not in full submission and ask the Father to help you let Him reign over it.
b) your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
It general terms we have a pretty good idea of what God’s will is. Pick something specific and ask God to help you do it. For example, we know it is God’s will that nobody perish (2 Peter 3:9). Pray specifically for someone you know who needs the Lord and ask what you can do to help that person come to Christ.
3) Requests
a) Give us today our daily bread. (Physical needs.)
Ask God to supply a specific physical need that you have.
b) Give us today our daily bread. (Spiritual needs.)
Ask God to supply a specific spiritual need.
4) Confession
a) Forgive us our debts,
Think of a specific sin or failure, confess it, and ask God’s forgiveness.
b) as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Has someone done something against you? Tell the Lord about it and, then, forgive the person. Be specific.
5) Intercession
a) And lead us not into temptation,
Think of specific temptations which you might encounter today and ask God to keep you out of those situations.
Ask God to spare you from unintended consequences of answered prayer.
b) but deliver us from the evil one.
Ask God to give you the tools you need to counter the devil’s attacks.
6) Praise and thanksgiving
For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
Thank God for allowing you to share in His glory. Thank Him for the things He’s done in your life.
Conclusion
In this lesson we have only been able to scratch the surface of the topic of prayer. However, it wouldn’t be right to have a message on prayer without closing with an example of how a prayer based on Jesus’ model might look.
Dear heavenly Father,
Thank you that you are my Father and that you treat me as your child. Thank you for including me in your family. Thank you that you are not like earthly fathers who discipline as they see fit but that everything you do is for my good. I want to lift up your name. Help me in this coming week to be a credit to the name you’ve given me. Help me not to do anything which would dishonor or cause anyone to disrespect your name.
Father, you know my tendency to think of myself and my interests instead of what is best for others. Help me in this coming week to be more kind and considerate toward those around me.
Just as I want you to reign in my life, I want your Kingdom to come throughout the world. I pray for our leaders and those in other countries that they would submit themselves fully to you. They face many perplexing problems. I pray that they would not rely on their own wisdom and strength, but would ask you for insight and wisdom. I pray that you would work even through those who do not acknowledge you, to accomplish your will.
Thank you, Father, for the material blessings you have given me. Yet, there are still many who are looking for work. I pray that you would provide for them. I know many who are sick, I pray that you will heal them. More importantly, some are going through sorrow; I pray that they will feel your comfort. May those who are in despair know that you love them.
Father, I am struggling for lack spiritual nourishment. Please give me of your living bread so I may grow and develop into the kind of person you want me to be. Help me to become more like Christ.
Father, you know the uncharitable thoughts I’ve had toward some of your people this last week. Please forgive me for those thoughts and help me to think the best of others.
These days we hear all sorts of reports about how your people are suffering persecution in many parts of the world. Just as I ask forgiveness for the wrong I have done, I also ask that you would forgive those who are attacking your church. May they turn from their evil ways and be converted. Like Paul may they spread the very gospel they once tried to destroy.
Father, you know my weaknesses. In this coming week please keep me out of situations which would tempt me to sin against you. I ask that you would guard me from discouragement when things don’t go as I think they ought. Also, guard me from consequences I cannot see. If the blessings I ask you for would tempt me away from you, then please do not grant them. Give me the will and desire to overcome my particular temptations.
Thank you for your unchanging character, that you are true and your promises will never fail. I look forward to receiving your promise of the new heaven and new earth where righteousness dwells. Until that time, may my life honor you. May my example draw others closer to you.
I ask this prayer in the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Please note that it would be even better to pray the above prayer using specific names for those who need help, and those in power. Similarly, it would be best to name the specific temptations you are asking God to help you resist.